From Bulky to Brilliant: The Miniaturisation of Data Storage
Since the early days of IT, storage capacities have skyrocketed while physical footprints have plummeted. The rush to the cloud dominated the last decade, offering scalability, flexibility and data management cost efficiencies. Data centres shrank, often transforming into office spaces and IT teams were downsized.
Data Storage in 2024
Fast forward to today, and businesses heavily rely on the cloud. Storage has become far more efficient: in 2010, a petabyte of storage required 66U of rack space, 333 drives, consumed 9.3kW/hr, and cost £315,000. In 2024, the same capacity fits into 5U of rack space, uses just 940W/hr and costs £75,000, including maintenance—representing a massive reduction in space, energy and cost.
Future Data Centres
With ongoing advancements, tomorrow’s data centres could fit into a broom cupboard. Combining higher storage densities and improved performance makes localised data centres increasingly viable. Accessing local data eliminates latency and network congestion, providing unparalleled speed compared to cloud-based services.
System Reliability
Storage miniaturisation has also improved reliability. Technologies like Seagate’s ADAPT enable faster rebuilds and enhanced data protection, surpassing traditional RAID systems.
Rethinking Cloud Usage
The cloud excels in file sharing and document collaboration, but its costs are unpredictable and can be astronomical. Many businesses now adopt “cloud smart” or hybrid strategies, keeping critical data local while using the cloud selectively, saving significant amounts annually.
Falling Storage Costs
The price per megabyte has plummeted—from $7.50 in 1990 to $0.004 in 2024. This exponential drop underscores the benefits of miniaturised, efficient storage.
Performance and Productivity
Hosting data locally ensures faster access compared to the cloud, preventing productivity loss from delays. Local backups also enable significantly faster recovery in disaster scenarios.
The Future of Storage
By 2030, storage capacities will increase up to fivefold, with breakthroughs like 120TB SSDs and LTO tape offering 90TB compressed capacities. Businesses are re-evaluating the cloud’s long-term cost-effectiveness, driving renewed interest in local solutions.
Let us help you navigate this evolving landscape with tailored solutions for data management, cloud alternatives and high-performance local systems.
